Long day- took inflatible boat across 2 lakes with portage. Then steep hiking up and over DrizzlePus before the roped up climbing began. We Simul-Climbed most of it since it was easy going. Very large and flat summit. Great mountain to escape the crowds- saw no one.

Didn't have time to go to the summit. This was a consolation prize for getting iced off of the North Face of the Grand by a storm last week. The climbing wasn't as good as some of the other classics I've done, but the setting was unrivaled. The hand traverse finish was pretty spectacular. 12 rappels down the SB Right route was a long end to the day. Not as long as a summit push, though!

Fun climb. Great campsite except for the forgotten stove pump. Dry ramen for dinner and gu for breakfast really hit the spot. There are some good variations on the route for a little harder climbing. Good rappels on the descent along the ridge. Stash some beers in the creek and go for a swim when you get back down to the lake.

incredibly challenging... ALL elements of the climb... getting across Jackson Lake would have been a 3-4 hour canoe ride for starters (about 8 miles across), luckily we took a boat (still took us an hour in a damn motor boat!)... arrived on shore about 8a.m. and began the ascend thru the forest (looking desperately for a trail... ANY trail) very... let me stress VERY overgrown. MAJOR bush-wacking... which took us about 2 1/2 hours and 10,000 bug bites (it did help to wear spray... but at times I thought it did nothing but attract MORE)... reached the bolder field about 10:30 and began the ankle twisting... seriously... if you can traverse this without damaging your ankle or knee... ALL the power to you... with NO trail (or a very poorly groomed... as in... no-one was there in a LONG time) meant seriously unstable rocks under each step forward (of course the 60 pounds on your back helps)... about 2:00 p.m we reached the high camp at the base opf the snow field (bottom of the glacier)... luckily without one BEAR encounter (however we did have BEAR spray... and it is a MUST along with LOTS of yelling every 5 seconds (no shit)). Once at camp we checked out the snow conditions and before long were asleep or trying to by 6:00 p.m....

Up at 3:00 a.m. breakfast (beautiful morning... but wished we would have gotten on the mountain at 3:00... not 4:30 after sitting around at breakfast toooooo long)

This meant sunrise about 45 minutes into the climb and it heated up FAST... we were not even to the middle rock formation when it was about 70... soon 80... then (mid climb) 90 degrees... we were boiling and so was the snow.

Getting past the middle crevasse about 10,500 was cool as we got to climb thru a (very wet) waterfall coming off the middle rock formation... climbing with crampons was difficult (protection necessary).

At this point the climb goes from 40-50 degrees to 50-60... which means FALLING equals DEATH... very serious shit. As a fall above the skillet (above the middle rock formation... which serves as a nice 50 foot cliff in the middle of the mountain) is NOT something you want to think about!

After an 90 minutes... we reached the HIGH handle of the skillet (about 1000 feet from the summit) and MORE rock climbing with crampons... only this time the stakes were TRIPLE times a MILLION for error. At this slope (with the cliff about 1500 feet south... which you would slide to in about 40 seconds... going about 100 miles an hour and then FLY off like olympic ski jumping to a certain PAINful DEATH.

At this point the snow was so HOT - it was like carpet... it's top layer (about 3-6 inches deep) sliding on EVERY STEP... which meant MAJOR KIcking on EVERY step... which is NOT very easy at 55 degrees...

We packed it in about this point AFTER we climbed AROUND the LAST ROCK formation (scary ROCK climbing in crampons around a near vertical corner)... we trailed up this for about 15 minutes (more 55 degrees) but the snow sucked so bad... we called it around 12:30 because it was only going to get hotter as the day went on... we had about an hour (or less to summit)

The down climbing was terrible... every step (even HARD kicking in) were moments of terror mixed with (often yells of) "FALLING"

Lots of FUN!

We reached camp at about 3:30 packed up and headed out for a VERY very very long walk to the canoe (luckily BOAT)... avoided the BEARS, most of the BUGS and no ankle injuries...

for a novice (someone never climbing a mountain in my life... did spend a few days on Blanc - which was a cake walk with steps compared to this fun) it was a serious challenge...

I'm sure for an expert (or even intermediate) it would have been a great climb (however our guide... and he was a WORLD class guide) was DAMN glad to get off that snow at 12,000... I think I heard him say... "yes... good decision... good fucking decision... we are very lucky... yes very good decision!"

the best alpine approach ever, although renting the Kayak could have been easier had the Guy actually been at the shop!

Anyway - Great approach via water - got to see a lot of wild life!

For me the hardest part of the climb was the hike! kicked my butt - did it, but did it slow!

The camp site was perfect - a HUGE storm blew up around us and we we sheltered from it all, and afterwards we got to look DOWN on a rainbow - amazing. The summit day was uneventful - but I didnt' want to get off the climb - wish i could have climbed down!! I would go up there every day - if there was a way to NOT have to walk back down. . thank goodness we took treking poles. . saved my butt many-a-time!

All in all - LOVED IT - first peak in the Tetons. . but I will be back for more! (check out the whole story on our web page www.teamarp.com)

Amazing, remote route on quality Teton granite. Deservedly one of the "50 Classics." Didn't go for the summit due to lack of water (see my TR in this section). Climbed with my good friend and favorite climbing partner, Scott Perkins.

Way fun climb. awsome weather until last rap.. we got groppled and the legdes out and around Drizzlepuss were wet and deemed unsafe so we climbed out the same way the rap comes off. Up some crazy book with numb hands. ergh

Very warm (in the upper 80s) relentless climb up to CMC camp. The trail (I'm being kind) is very faint...but all roads lead up. The view from the CMC camp is outstanding. Too bad that Alan and I felt like crap the next morning. We made it a little above the cliff bands...but since both of us were sick, we felt better safe than scary...I mean sorry. Better luck next time.

Did not summit. We turned back on our summit day before reaching the technical section due to extreme nausea and vomiting. I think it was something we ate the day before, but maybe it was altitude. Who knows? Either way, this peak requires 100% health and desire which neither of us possessed that day. Don't go away....we'll be back for some unfinished business. It's a spectacular peak and worthy of another attempt.

Beautiful mountain. I kayaked across Leigh Lake and scrambled up the wash below the hanging glacier below the CMC. Definitely the most scenic campsite I've ever had. It's too bad my climbing partners' incessant tobacco and marijuana smoking made me too sick to continue the next day. I'll definitely have to head back to finish this great climb!

Route Climbed: Direct South Buttress, V+, 5.8, A1 all the way to the top, Date Climbed: August 11-12 , 1987

Bill Krause and I climbed this mega-classic and historic route in 1987. Bill told me about this being one of the longest mountaineering routes in the lower US, if you go all the way to the summit of Mt. Moran. I recall thinking how well the route was put together, because on both sides of it, is much more difficult rock. The line weaves its way among very steep, technical terrain. We thought at the time, that this was truly Classic Teton Alpine climb. We found the rating about IV+, 5.8, A1, there was no difficult aid on it. We used BD Stoppers to aid the hard (5.12) section. Once past the top of the buttress, the climbing is never harder than 5.7, but many roped pitches and a lot of scrambling is required to reach the summit. If you go all the way to the summit (recommended and Grade V+) take a three day permit, especially if you are not very familiar with Tetons backcountry. Superb, quality route in great alpine setting.